PALISADES MEDICAL CENTER PROVIDING FREE COMMUNITY HEALTH SCREENINGS – Throughout the year, Palisades Medical Center’s staff takes an active role in local communities by partnering with North Hudson Community Action Corporation, Christ Hospital School of Nursing, and Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern NJ to provide free health screenings and education programs. The New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA) recognized Palisades Medical Center’s Community Outreach Program with its Community Outreach Award for its unique and effective methods of reaching out to better serve the healthcare needs of area residents. (See briefs for schedule.)

Support the Palisades Emergency Residence Corp. (PERC) on Tuesday, March 4. Dine at Houlihan’s between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. that night and a portion of your bill will be donated to PERC. Diners must print out the PERC flyer and present it at the restaurant. The more you eat the more PERC benefits. RSVP by March 3 by emailing holly@percshelter.org or calling (201) 348-8150. Houlihan’s is at 1200 Harbor Blvd., Weehawken. The flyer is at http://www.percshelter.org/resources/HoulihansMarch4.pdf

Palisades Medical Center’s community outreach and education programs are generously funded in part by TD Charitable Foundation. The following is a schedule of Palisades Medical Center’s free health screenings that will be held in local communities in the coming months. For more information, please call Joanne Riggs at (201) 854-5793.

Hackensack Riverkeeper accepting scholarship applications for local high school seniors

Hackensack Riverkeeper is accepting applications for the 2014 Ron Vellekamp Environmental Scholarship. Now in its fourteenth year, the program was created to support college-bound high school seniors who excel academically while demonstrating a strong commitment to the natural world and environmental protection.

All applicants who apply must either live within the 210-square mile Hackensack River Watershed or attend a school located within that region. North Bergen and Secaucus are eligible municipalities, along with certain parts of Jersey City, Bayonne, and Union City.

Teachers and guidance counselors are invited to submit applications on behalf of deserving students, and each school may nominate one student.

A panel of Hackensack Riverkeeper trustees and staffers led by Captain Bill Sheehan and Program Director Hugh Carola will review each application. The panel will consider the applicant’s academic achievements, environmental extra-curricular activities and future plans. The $1,000 scholarship is unrestricted and can be used for any required purchases during the student’s first year at college.

Full scholarship application criteria are available online at www.hackensackriverkeeper.org or by calling (201) 968-0808. Applications must be postmarked no later than Earth Day, April 22, 2014. The winner will be chosen no later than June 1.

Optimum announces ‘Make Your Mark’ high school student video contest

In recognition of Black History Month, Optimum, in conjunction with the Smithsonian Channel, is sponsoring the “Make Your Mark” video contest for high school students. The student with the winning video will be awarded $2,500 for a school or community project.

As part of the contest, students will view the Smithsonian Channel documentary “Breath of Freedom” which details the experiences of African-American GIs who helped rebuild Germany at the end of World War II and experienced equality for the first time overseas. Just as the soldiers featured in the documentary helped ignite the Civil Rights Movement, students can document their unique “mark” for positive change in their own video.

The “Make Your Mark” contest is open to all high school students in Optimum’s footprint within the tri-state area. Students should record and submit a creative and informative video (two minutes maximum) that explains their “mark,” why it should be chosen, and how their school or community could benefit from the $2,500 award. They will then share this video (via Facebook or Twitter) with friends and family to earn votes for the project. Deadline for entries is Feb. 28. Full details on the contest and information on how to enter can be found at http://www.smithsonianchannelmakeyourmark.com/cablevision/

Saint Peter’s University to host Hudson County Regional College Fair

Saint Peter’s University will host the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling (NJACAC) Hudson County Regional College Fair on March 11 from 7 to 9 p.m in the Victor R. Yanitelli, S.J. Recreational Life Center located at 870 Montgomery St. in Jersey City. More than 75 colleges and universities will be in attendance. Saint Peter’s will also be hosting a financial aid information session during the event.

A wide-variety of higher education institutions are participating in the Hudson County Regional College Fair. The institutions in attendance are located as close as Hudson County as well as out-of-state universities based in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and more.

Attendees will also have access to the Saint Peter’s University financial aid team and will learn about the various types of financial aid, the awarding process, and how to file the FAFSA.